The Catholic Gift Shop: Feast of St. Nicholas--December 6th The Catholic Gift Shop

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Yes, it's the Christmas Season and millions of children around the world are awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus. As Catholics we are constantly trying to keep our focus on the birth of Jesus and not get all caught up in the frantic, crazy and unjoyful commercial traditions that have crowded our Christmas Season of late. It's unfortunate that the model for Santa Claus, who was and is a Saint has been altered.

St. Nicholas reminds us that we are loved without limits. He is a saint who challenges us to love others without limits as well. St. Nicholas calls us to holiness as we prepare to celebrate the greatest gift ever received on earth, our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ!

The "real" St. Nicholas was born at Patara in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor and was bishop of the town of Myra in the fourth century. Upon his death he was buried there in a cathedral. When the Saracens conquered Myra in the early eleventh century, his remains were moved to the Italian city of Bari in 1087. His tomb is visited by thousands every year, even to this day.

His bones exude a clear liquid, called the "manna of Saint Nicholas", which is extracted from the shrine every year on May 9 in a formal ceremony conducted by the Rector of the Basilica in Bari, in the presence of the delegate of the Pope, the Archbishop of Bari, an Orthodox Bishop, civil authorities, the local clergy and the faithful. This has happened every year since 1980. The manna is distributed and is considered a relic with healing properties.

To this day many school age children place their shoes outside their bedroom doors on the evening of December 5th. St Nicholas then comes during the night. The following morning they awake to find their shoes filled with gifts and sugary treats. Widespread adoption of the tradition has spread among the German, Polish, Belgian and Dutch communities throughout the United States.

Nicholas is the patron saint of children, sailors, prisoners, bakers and of Russia, Greece and Sicily.

Labels: Christmas, Jesus Christ, Santa Claus, St. Nicholas